Dozens of jobs were under threat tonight as the big freeze turned its grip on one of the country’s best known food manufacturers.
Batchelors has warned 40 workers they face redundancy at its Dublin plant because it was running out of water needed to can peas, beans and fruit juices.
The factory at Bannow Road, Cabra, is believed to be the second biggest user of public water supplies in the capital, after Guinness.
The company, which employs 235 people, insisted the threat was directly related to the crisis in reservoir levels, as householders continue to run taps to stop pipes freezing.
Burst mains - which are being made more difficult to detect because water chiefs are throttling, or reducing, flow pressure to conserve stocks - are making the situation worse.
A Batchelors spokeswoman vowed the protective notice on jobs would be lifted if, and when, supplies return to normal.
“Batchelors has now exhausted its own water storage supply and as a result will be forced to curtail production at the facility for the remainder of the week,” she said.
“The situation represents a major blow for the company, and one which is likely to have a serious knock-on effect on its ability to meet customer demand, unless water supply is restored immediately to the plant.”
Minister for the Environment John Gormley, leading the Government’s emergency response team, insisted unprecedented conditions across the country were improving.
But further frost is expected as spot flooding and power outages continue to inflict misery, while the low level of public water supplies remains critical.
“We appeal to people not to let their taps run,” said Mr Gormley, after the latest meeting of the National Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee.
“There may be temptation to do that when we have frost, but we would say to people please be aware that by doing that you could be depriving your neighbours of precious supply of water.”
Taps continued to run dry in many parts of the country, including Dublin, Limerick, Kilkenny, Clare and Galway.
Mr Gormley said more progress should be made mending burst pipes and mains as conditions get better over the weekend.
“A full nationwide thaw is expected by the weekend - milder weather is expected next week,” he said.
“However, and this is a big however, caution remains the watchword.
“I can not over-stress the call for water conservation, and people - it would appear — are heeding that message but we can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal.”
A spokeswoman for Guinness said the brewer had started a “water minimisation programme” since reservoir levels started hitting critically low levels.
“But we have had no problems yet,” she added.
Guinness makes up to six million hectolitres - about one billion pints - every year at St James’s Gate.
PA